Several of us were conversing on the Vincent Jackson rumor and the issue of what this Viking team will look like next year arose.  Its a valid question.  Especially when fans are looking to add a piece to the mix in the midst of a season.  I suspect that a GM has to always think about this.  Look probably three years down the road for every transaction.  Decide if future draft choices are necessary or whether they are expendable. Players are chosen to fit a certain defensive and offensive system.  For example- Chris Cook.  A highly valued future CB for teams that run zone coverage. But not a good choice for the Jets.  Kyle Wilson was a good choice for the man to man cover Jets but they never would have chosen Chris Cook.  So when players are drafted or obtained on the Free Agent market they need to fit your coaching philosophy. 

Lets jump ahead for you  mobile users.

Future Viking Coaching Staff

Do the Vikes have a coaching philosophy?  For better or worse it appears they do.  Brad Childress has assembled a coaching staff that teaches and implements the West Coast offense.  Brad's style seems to deviate  from the original version to a deep pass route threat ( strong arm QB) with many short routes complimented by a strong running game.  For those who keep harping about the Vikes "not running the ball enough" I might remind them that we run the WCO.  A short pass is the same as a run kinda thing. 

Defensively we run a cover 2 ( Tampa 2) style zone defense with a standard 4-3 defensive line.  Unless we change the head coach the Vikes will not be running a 3-4 defense. We don't have the proper type of players for that system or the assistant coaches to implement that system..

Anyway, Brad Childress got a contract extension last year. This gave him a raise from 2 Million per year to around 5 Million per year through 2013. Coaches contracts are fully guaranteed.  Unlike a players contract that can be cancelled a team has to pay a fired coach the remaining money on his contract.  This is why Lovie Smith is still coaching Chicago. Plus the big name coaches like Cowell and Shannahan get 10 Million per year.  So we are going to look at the future Viking team with an eye on Coach Childress still being here through 2013. All of the assistant coaches are talked about as being ready for the next move up. So far the staff has been held together with raises and added responsibilities. That means those assistants are building resumes and the Vikings are not hindering their chances.  Expect the assistants to get hired away and for others inside the organization to be promoted.

I'm listing all of the player contracts the Vikings currently have. The article continues after the list if you feel like skipping ahead.

Player contracts- from rotoworld.com

Free Agents Starters at the end of 2010:

Ray Edwards, Pat Williams,Chad Greenway, Brett Farve Sidney Rice, and Ben Leber, 

It is hard to imagine all of these players not resigning. Its possible but not likely.

Ray Edwards, Brian Robison, and Jaymee Mitchell all are free agents DEs, however I'm not sure what the new CBA (if one) will say about the status of these players.The remaining DEs aren't that bad either. Oh, I see Jared isn't on the list.

In my view the Vikings are not a one and done team. The players are here to build a great future.  The coaches are here to build a great future.  The front office is in place to continue a great future.  It is the Quarterback issue that clouds the Vikings future.  Nothing else.

So, expect the future of the Vikings to look the same offensively. At least for one more year. If and when a new CBA is signed the Vikings can go about signing its players whose contracts expire in 2011. I fully expect Pat Williams and Brett Farve to retire due to their age. I expect the 2nd string players on the Vikings to step up and sign real contracts ( Robison and Evans) that exceed the NFL $500,000 minimum.  Players of this caliber should be getting in the 2-3 Million per year range if expected to be starters.

So next years draft should be QB, DT, DE, and LB. Simply from a replacement point of view.

Free agents might be needed to fill in the LB spot if Greenway isn't resigned.  He was our 1st round draft pick.  I doubt that we don't know his value.  I expect his contract to be  somewhere in the Karlos Dansby contract area.

SALARIES IN GENERAL

This is always a big topic but I don't get why it bugs people so much.  Salaries in the NFL are high because the players are worth it.  Very special players are so very special that they are worth a whole lot more than others.

A great QB is so special to making a team go that they are worth 20 Million per year. Brady, Manning, Farve type players.  If you find one in the draft ( Bradford) at the #1 spot he will cost you 15 Million per year.  You get the discount because he isn't proven yet. If you can get one in the 10th spot he will cost you 6 Million per year. If you can find one with the last pick in the 1st round it is only about 2 Mil per year. Damn cheap for a Franchise QB. But if you really want a franchise guy the statistics say you have to pick early.  But you still must pick wisely.

Here is a list of all signings and salaries for the 2010 draft

Great DEs ( Jared Allen ) 11 Million per year, CBs ( daril Revis) 10 Mil per year, WRs ( Brandon Marshall)10 Mil per year.  This is the new norm.  Great players cost 10 Mil per year.

An NFL team can only spend about 125 Million on its payroll for an average team. This just makes business sense. To spend more you had better have a stadium that is printing money for you or an owner who wants to dip into his pocket each year.  Teams like the Cowboys and Redskins can afford more.  In 2012 the revenue sharing between teams is gone.  That means the Vikes will have 10 Million less in revenue, unless that is corrected in the new CBA.   Player cost will be important to them. 

If a team pays a QB 20 Million and 3 other guys 10 Million that leaves 70 Million for another 47 roster players and 8 Practice squad players.  That leaves over 1 Million apiece for those players. You should be able to sign and wheel and deal with that much space.  You can tell by the contracts that most young players don't get much over the $500,000 per year minimum. Once a player proves that he is special then a team can and will pay him more.

Once a team hits their maximum it is difficult to pay anyone more.

When a team looks at the expensive free agent market it must do so with care. Picking up one of those 10 Mil per year guys can cause issues.   Team chemistry, pay scales, and jealousy can rear its ugly head in a locker room very quickly.  If it isn't a pure fit most teams will shy away from the trouble.  Look no further than the Redskins to see what can happen with free agents , both good and bad.

2011 will be the year of signing more of our offensive players. I hope that the new CBA is signed with added revenue sharing. This has really helped teams like the Vikings be competitive. But all in all I see the Vikings as having a legitimate shot at the Superbowl for many years to come if they have a QB that can take them there for many years to come.